Congress Overrides Veto

Congress voted to override President Obama’s veto, passing a bill into a law that will allow families affected by the 9/11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia.

After the 9/11 attacks, President Bush passed a law that protected the Saudi government from lawsuits from families of loved ones affected by 9/11. Many saw this as unjustified, as it protected a foreign government, and hurt families who wanted answers and compensation. The Saudi government has vehemently denied any involvement in the 9/11 attacks, but others say this is absolutely not true. Al Qaeda is responsible for September 11th, and many believe individuals received funds directly from Saudi Arabia’s royal family.

There will be major effects from this law. Saudi Arabia is an American ally in a very tumultuous region. The US lands planes there, and relies on their natural resources. Am hour after the bill turned into a law, 30 senators wrote letters about the implications. The senate voted against the veto 97-1, a huge moment of cohesion for the often divided chamber. The Saudis could potentially pull out hundred of billions of dollars of assets in the United States, as they are now fair game for lawsuits.

Senator Harry Reid was the only senator to side with President Obama.

This bill came to pass after the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The effects of this bill on both the economy, and the relationship with Saudi Arabia, are left to be seen.